Marcus

The younger Knight of Pherae in Fire Emblem
Marcus
Species	Human
Class	Paladin
Affiliation	Pherae
Hair color	Purple
Eye color	Purple
Age	60 (as of FE6)
Base	Pherae
Debut	Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi

Marcus is a knight commander of Pherae, who is known for having served Pherae's royal family for three generations.

Background

Marcus made his start serving under Elbert, when Marcus was just a squire. Marcus became a full-fledged knight around the time that Elbert's son Eliwood was born. The young Eliwood often followed Marcus around. Years later, Eliwood set out on a journey when Elbert went missing. Marcus, being one of the few knights remaining in Pherae after Elbert's disappearance, was assigned to accompany Eliwood and protect him. Marcus also brought the young knight Lowen with them, and they set off in "Taking Leave" (Eliwood Chapter 11).

During the journey, Marcus also became close friends with Merlinus, a merchant traveling with the group. Upon the death of Elbert, Marcus was touched by the marquess's moments and had a report sent back to Pherae to inform Eleanora. Marcus remained in Eliwood's company for the remainder of the journey. Afterwards, he returned to Pherae and became the commander of Pherae's knights. He dedicated his life to training young recruits. He and Harken worked together to rebuild the Pheraen knights.

Marcus was still serving Pherae twenty years later in Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi. He was one of the knights who accompanied Roy during his return to Pherae in the first chapter. When Roy wound up embroiled in a deadly adventure, Marcus continued to follow Roy just as he had followed Roy's father and grandfather. After the adventure was over, Marcus returned to Pherae and finally retired. Depending on his Support conversations, he decided on either Allen, Lance or Wolt as his successor. Marcus lived mostly in peace, except that young knights frequently came to him seeking advice. He was remembered as a great knight who fought with Roy and a teacher of the next generation.

Support Conversation Summaries

Fire Emblem

Marcus is capable of having Support conversations with five other characters. Reaching A rank Support with Merlinus unlocks a special ending.

• Eliwood- In the first conversation, Marcus checks up on Eliwood and suggests that Eliwood stay out of battle. But Eliwood refused, saying that the journey was his responsibility. Marcus is impressed by how much Eliwood has grown. Marcus sees much of Elbert in Eliwood and reminds Eliwood of the promise he made to Elbert to protect Eliwood. Eliwood thanks Marcus and says the Pherae owes its existence to Marcus. In the final Support conversation, Marcus tells Eliwood to take care of his heart so he could use it to rule over Pherae one day. He also swore to not only protect Eliwood, but to one day protect his son as well. Eliwood thanks Marcus from both himself and his future son for Marcus's devoted service. Marcus then remembers that Elbert was around Eliwood's age when he met his wife, so he decides to find Eliwood a wife as well.
• Harken- Marcus is glad to see Harken alive again. However, Harken becomes troubled when he recalls his past and begins to think that Eliwood would not accept him if he knew the truth about Harken. But Marcus tells Harken not to worry about the past, and tells him that Eliwood trusts Harken so he should trust Eliwood in turn.
• Isadora- In the first conversation, Isadora apologizes for leaving her post at Lady Eleanora's side to join Eliwood's army, but Marcus reminds her that she was following Eleanora's wishes, and he sees no reason for her to apologize. In the second conversation, they discuss Eliwood and how troubled he is following his father's death. They decide to work as hard as they could to end the conflict so that Eliwood could return home to his mother's care. In the final conversation, Marcus warns Isadora not to overexert herself despite the great burdens on both of them and tells her she should not be ashamed to seek help. Isadora then thanked Marcus for his advice and for treating her like a first rank knight of Pherae instead of like a woman. She assures Marcus that they will both return to Pherae alive.
• Lowen- Marcus begins scolding Lowen harshly for slacking off and tells him that even though he has heart, he needs steel in his mind and his belly. Lowen mentions he is practicing 1,000 lance thrusts a day, but Marcus then yells at him for only doing the bare minimum amount and since Lowen is only half a knight, he should do double the exercise. In the second conversation, Marcus spars with Lowen and knocks him down, but Lowen continues to challenge Marcus. In the third conversation, instead of scolding, Marcus congratulates Lowen and appoints him a full-fledged knight. Marcus then finds his stomach rumbling, and although he tries to deny his hunger, Lowen whips up some boar's meat dumplings for Marcus.
• Merlinus- In their first conversation Merlinus is berated for sleeping on the job by Marcus. Merlinus does not feel the job is very important, but Marcus believes it to be extremely crucial to strategy. In the following conversation Merlinus asks if Marcus tires of guarding the supply line, which Marcus denies. The two share some of Merlinus's pudding cakes afterwards. In their final conversation Merlinus questions if Marcus feels that they should have more say in the affairs of the party, but Marcus reaffirms his faith in Eliwood's decision making.

Fuuin no Tsurugi

Marcus is capable of having Support conversations with five other characters.

• Allen- Marcus talks to Allen about his style and tells him that he should not always charge immediately into battle and leave Roy behind. He appreciates Allen's style of fighting, but he also tells Allen that he must learn to take time to think and pick the proper style of fighting in a given situation in order to ensure Roy's safety. Allen manages to follow Macrus's advice and implement new styles in combat, and Marcus tells Allen that he could succeed him one day after he retires. Allen was startled by this new, but Marcus reminded him to calm down and told him that he needed to grow with Roy as a knight and as a person.
• 

  Marcus during his older years in Fuuin no Tsurugi
  Lance- Marcus tells Lance that he has something that the other knights don't, which will help Roy in the future. Lance returns later to ask Marcus exactly what this something is, and Marcus tells him that it is because Lance had served a different band of knights before coming to serve Pherae. Since Lance has experience of the lands outside Pherae, it will help Roy when he becomes Marquess of Pherae. Marcus says that Lance can use his experience to help Roy gain diverse beliefs and become a wise ruler. Marcus later hears that Lance was telling Roy stories about other lands, so Marcus congratulates Lance and tells him that he can succeed him one day. Lance is worried about this since he is foreign, but Marcus assures him not to worry about that.
• Lilina- In the first Support conversation, Marcus talks to Lilina about Eliwood. He says that Roy is becoming much like Eliwood, and that Lilina is much like Eliwood's wife, so he suggests that Roy and Lilina marry after returning to Pherae. Lilina is frightened by the idea and assures Marcus that they are just friends. In the second conversation, Lilina asks Marcus about what kind of couple Eliwood and his wife were. Marcus tells her about their happiness, and how one night Eliwood disappeared for three days, then returned with a flower from Ilia for his sweetheart (the kind she loved the most). In the third Support conversation, Lilina admits that she has liked Roy for a long time but is unsure of whether he likes her back. Marcus says that he does not have experience in such matters, but he tells her that instead of waiting she should advance on Roy and find out for herself.
• Roy- Marcus complains about their fighters and their lack of skill, thinking that none of them can match up to Roy. He suggests stricter exercise plans to Roy and plans to expel those who aren't doing their job properly. But Roy rejects this idea, saying that most of his fighters were trying their best, and that it would be too hard to accurately judge who is or who isn't doing their jobs right. Roy tells Marcus that they have to trust the other troops, causing Marcus to see that Roy has grown to live independently, meaning that Marcus's role was almost over. Marcus than tells Roy that he has decided to retire soon, but Roy insists that Marcus stays longer and continues to help them.
• Wolt- Wolt comes to Marcus and asks for training in swordplay. Wolt believed that he was limited in his defense of Roy while using only a bow, and he wanted to use a sword as well to protect him from close-range attackers. However, Marcus tells Wolt that it is too late for him to learn how to wield a sword properly, and he cannot defend Roy with only mediocre fencing skills. Marcus assures Wolt that he is already a great aid to Roy. Wolt comes again to ask Marcus for lessons, but Marcus tells him another way that Wolt can already help Roy: through moral support. Marcus recalls how Eliwood had battled alongside knights who were far older or far younger than him (presumably not referring to Fire Emblem, where most of Eliwood's followers were closer to his age). But Wolt and Roy were tells Wolt that he could succeed him one day. Wolt does not think he is worthy of such a position, but Marcus tells him he has to fix his low self esteem.

Trivia

• Marcus seems to be quite the matchmaker for the lords he serves; in Fire Emblem, he becomes intent on finding Eliwood a bride when he realizes Eliwood is the same age that Elbert was when he met his wife. Then in Fuuin no Tsurugi, he attempts to set up Roy with Lilina.
• He also fulfills a recurring character type in the Fire Emblem games that was started with the character Jeigan in the original game. He is a character who seems powerful in the beginning, but performs poorly against enemies later in the game. Also, overusing him will result in Marcus taking experience that could have better been used for other characters.